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BP, 2 other companies cited over Gulf oil spill

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Federal regulators have cited oil company BP PLC and two other companies — Transocean Ltd. and Halliburton — for alleged safety and environmental violations stemming from last year's rig explosion and massive oil spill in the Gulf.

The companies have 60 days to appeal Wednesday's citations issued by the Interior Department's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.

The bureau says the alleged regulatory violations could result in civil penalties once the appeal period has ended.

These initial citations are the product of a federal government probe of the Deepwater Horizon blast, which killed 11 workers and hastened the nation's worst offshore oil spill.

One of the citations accuses well owner BP, rig owner Transocean and cement contractor Halliburton of failing to operate in a "safe and workmanlike manner."

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